Yarn carrier stop control mechanism for flat knitting machines



March 29, 1932. H. F PAGET A '1,851,209

YARN CARRIER STOP CoNTRoL MECHANISM FOR FLAT KNITTING MACHINES FiledDec. 50l 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet l WITNESSES INVENTOR.- E'

' ,M Hamm?- l'llagei;

A ATTORNEYS.

March 29, 1932. f H, F. PAGET I 1,851,209

YARN CARRIER STOP CONTRQL MECHANISM FOR FLAT KNITTING MACHINES FiledDec, 50, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 1

WI TN ESSES I N VEN TOR:

WWW-M l E* H. F. PAGET 1,851,209

YARN CARRIER STOP CONTROL MECHANISM FOR FLAT KNITTING MACHINES March 29,1932.

Filed'Deo. 30, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 x li A TTORNEYS.

1&7 Tw mf mi m .m H Y B WIINESSES l l l' M Patented Mar. 29, 1932 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE HAROLD F. PAGET, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA,ASSIGNOR TO HOSIEEY MILLS INC., OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ACORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

YEN CARRIER STOP coNTEoI. MEcHAiTsm ron FLAT mirarme momie-EsApplication filed December 30, 1929. Serial 110.417,430.

This invention relates to yarn stop carrier control mechanlsm useful 1nconnection with flat knittingmachines such as are employed in themanufacture of full fashioned hosiery and the like.

Flat knitting machines of the type referred to, are ordinarily equippedwith aV number of carriers for feeding different of yarn to the needles,said carriers being secured to individual longitudinally extendigngslide rods whereto reciprocatory motion is imparted, through frictionboxes, from what is known as'the friction box rod which has a fixedthrow. `Incidental to fashioning of the stockings, the movement of thecarrier rods is variously limited by individually associated end stops.on screw operated nuts of narrowing heads Vat opposite extremities ofthe machine. To permit vselection as between the yarncarriervstops,""the latter are pivotally mounted on the narrowing headnuts so that they can be manually swlmg.

into and out of action. rlhis operation entails stoppage of the machineand therefore retards v production, and, moreover, requires the exerciseof skill on the partl of high salaried attendants.

The purpose of my present invention is to overcomeI the drawbacks towhich attentlon has been directed through provision of means whereby theselection of the yarn carri'ers is accomplished entirely automaticallyand with the machine in operation.

A further aim of my invention is to secure the foregoing desiderata witha simple mechanism in the form of an attachment capable of beingreadily-applied to standard knitting machines without necessitating anyalteration whatever in them nor interfering with 'l their normal mode ofoperation.

Still other objects and attendant advantages will be manifest from thedetailed description of the attached drawings, whereof Fig. Lis askeletonized partialfrear elevatio'n of a full fashioned stockingknitting machine conveniently embodying the stop control mechanism'of myinvention, with certain portions broken out and others shown -in sectionto expose important `details.

"Fig, II is a fragmentary end elevation of the carrier rod stopsmodified for the purpose of my invention.

The knitting machine partly shown in the several illustrations is,generally spealn'ng, of standard construction in that it embodies amultiplicity of longitudinally extending yarn carrier rods 10. Theseyarn carrier rods are supported for endwise sliding movement by suitablebrackets (not shown) afforded by the machine frame which is yldesignated11, and receive movement by virtue of connection,

'through friction boxes, from the friction rod (not shown) of themachine, all in a wellknown manner. As usual, the machine is providedwith narrowing heads at opposite ends, one such head being-shown-andcomprehensively indicated by the numeral 12 in Figs. I and II. Each suchnarrowing head comprises among other parts, a lead screw 13 forthecarrier rod stop nut 14, said screw being rotatable in bearings 15which are provided by brackets 17, 18 bolted to a horizontal su portingbar 19 of the machine frame.

usual, the nut v14E is formed with spaced angularly projectingears 20,21' (Fig. II) that supv port between them a transverse axis rod 22,whereon are lmounted for independent moveinepta series ofgravity-influenced stop 1evers 23, in this case four, which are properlyallocated toco-operate with certain of the yarn carrier rods 10, andfitted on their free ends with adjustable stop screws 24. By means ofintegrally formed handles 25, the stop levers 23am swingablemanually onthe axis rod 22 into and out of active position relative tocheco-ordinated carrier rods 10-fin a manner well understood.

Sli

As hereinbefore stated, the chief aim of my present invention is tocontrol the yarn carrier sto levers 10 of a knitting machine such asjust riely described, automatically. The mechanism which is provided forthis purpose includes a shaft 26 having support in supplemental bearingarms 27, 28 bolted or otherwise fastened to the ears 20, 21 on the nut14 of the narrowing head 12. On this shaft 26 are secured, with capacityfor rotative adjustment by means of screws 29, a number of collars 30 toalign with the stop levers 23. The heads of the screws 29 are adapted,when the shaft 26 is turned, to engage lugs 3l secured to the bosses ofsaid stop levers, see Figs. IV, V and VI, more particularly. From theseillustrations it will be noted that the lugs 31 are adjustably securedto the stop levers 23 by means of screws 32 which pass throughlongitudinal slots in the tails 31a .of A

` said lugs. In effect, the collars 30 constitute adjustable sections ofa rotary drum element with circumferentially spaced radialprojections-the screw heads 29-which are influential individually uponthe stop levers 10' '.ing outward from the ear 21 of the nut 14.

Rigidly fastened to the gear 34 is a miter pinion 35 which in turnmeshes with a miter pinion 36 on a positionally fixed shaft 37 thatextends parallel with the lead screw 13 and has journal support inoutwardly reaching bearing arms 38, 39 of the brackets 17, 18. Topredetermine travel of the miter pinion 36 along the shaft 37 underinfluence ofthe nut 14, its hub is circumferentially grooved as at 40 inFig. I for engagement by a forked arm 41 rigidly secured to the ear 21of the nut 14. Incident to sliding after. the manner just explained. thepinion 36 is obliged to rotatey with the shaft 37 by virtue 'of a splineconnection 42. For intermittently rotating the shaft 37 in order toeffect successive actuation of the carrier rod stop levers 23 as morefully explained later, I secure adjacent the bearing 39. a lratchetwheel 43 which is arranged to be picked by a spring influenced pawl 44on a lever 45 free to'swing on said shaft. This le` ver 45 iscoordinated, through the medium of a downward link 46, to the longerextremity 47a of a bellcrank lever 47 with fulcrum attachment at 48 on asupplemental bearing ,bracket 49 secured to the longitudinal channelrail 50 at the back of the machine frame. .The

tudinally of the back of the machine where it is supported in bearingshaving capacity for vertical as well` as." horizontal adjustmentrelative to the machine frame 11, one of such Y 47, and, through theconnections previously described in effecting picking of a'tooth 0f theratchet wheel 43 on the shaft 37 at each actuatioln It is to beunderstood that the parts thus far described are duplicated inconnection with the narrowing head at the opposite extremity of themachine.

Any suitable means may be employed for rotating the auxiliary shaft 54'intermittently to bring about the above described operation, but it ispreferred to govern its movements from the measuring chain of themachine which is partly shown at 56 in Figs. I and III. To this end thechain 56 is fitted with a series of special lugs or buttons 57 forengaging a roller 58 on an arm 59 secured toone end of a shaft 60. Thisshaft 60 extends crosswise of the machine and is journalled insupplemental bearings 61, 62 bolted respectively to the longitudinalchannel rail 50 at the back of the machine and the angle rail 63 at thefront. At its opposite end, the shaft 60 has secured to it an arm 64which is coupled, through the medium of an upward-` ly extending link65, with the laterally extending arm 66a 'of a pawl guard 66 free tosaving on the auxiliary cam shaft 54. The segmental portion 66() of thepawl guard 66 operates to control picking of a ratchet wheel 67 securedto the auxiliary cam shaft 54, by a pawl 68 which is pivoted to the endof another arm 69 free on said cam shaft along side the pawl guard 66,see Figs. I and III.

The pawl arm 69 is constantly vibrated byA virtue of connection to therod 70 of an eccentric 71 mounted on the main shaft of the machine shownat 72 in Figs. I and III.

The operation of my invention is as follows: Each time that one of thespecial buttons 57 on the measuring chain 56 passes beneath the rollerarm 59 (Fig. I), the transverse shaft 60 is slightly rotated andmovement communicated, through the arm 64 and the link 65, to .the pawlguard 66. The sector 666 of the pawl guard 66 is consequently retractedto permit picking of one tooth of the ratchet wheel 67 by the pawl 68.Due

to the movenient thus induced in the auxiliary cam shaft 54, one of therises 52al of .the groove 52 in the rotary cani 53 is brought into linewith the roller-51 on the bell crank lever 47 and motion therebyimparted, to said bell crank lever for communication, through. the link46to the arm 45 serving the pawl 44 which is coordinated with thevratchet cumstances, the shaft 37 is rotated through an angular extentcorresponding to the pitch of the teeth of the ratchet -wheel 43; andthis motion is transmitted, through the bevel Wheel 43 on the shaft 37:Under these ciry predetermined for the end stop levers 23 as Y gears 36,35 and the spur gears 34, 33, to the shaft 26 on the yarn carrier stopnut 14 carrying the drum collars for actuating the swingable stop levers23.

By suitably adjusting the drum collars 30 on the axis 26 to variouslyallocate the projecting heads of the screws 29 angularly and 'bycorrespondingly arranging the buttons' 57 on the measuring chain 56, anydesired sequence or order of selection may obviously be requiredincident to interchange ofdierent yarn carriers during the knitting ofthe stockings on the machine in proper timed relation to other events inthe cycle.

My automatic control mechanism is thus highly advantageous not/only inthat it obviates mistakes common to substitution of one carrier rods anda series of independently\ pivoted end stops for the yarn carrier rods;of control mechanism for the end stops including a rotatable drumelement having circumferentially spaced adjustable projectionsinfluential upon said end stops in selectively operating them, and meansto intermittently rotate the drum element.

` 2. The combination in a iat knitting machine embodying a multiplicityofy'sliding yarn carrier rods, and a series of independently pivotedAend stops with adjustable lugs for the carrier rods; of controlmechanism for the end stops including a rotatable drum element havingspaced circumferential projections to cooperate with the adjustable lugson said end stops in selectively swinging the latter and means forrotating vthe drum element. 3. The combination in a flat knittingmachine embodying a multiplicity of sliding yarn carrier rods and aseries of independently pivoted endstops; Qof control mechanism for ,theend stops comprising a `shaft supporting a rotatable drum element, saidelement including component sections capable of separate adjustment"onthe supporting shaft and affording a series of circumferentially spacedprojections for engaging the end stops aforesaid in selectively swingingn them, and means for rotating the shaft.

4. The combination in a flat knitting machine comprising ameasuringchain, a multiplicity of sliding yarn carrier rods, andindividually-pivoted end stops for the carrier mods; of automaticcontrol mechanism governed by the measuring chain for selectivelyswinging the end stops aforesaid into and out of action.

5. The combination in a flat knitting Vmachine with a multi licity ofsliding yarn carrier rods, and independently pivoted individual endstops for the carrier rods; of automatic control mechanism, including arotative element having circumferentially-spaced relatively-adjustableprojections, governed by the measuring chain for selectively operatingthe end stopsaforesaid.

6. The combination in a liat knitting machine embodying a measuringchain, a multiplicity of sliding yarn carrier rods, and a series ofindependently pivoted end stops 30 for the yarn carrier rods; of controlmechanism for 'the end stops including a rotata-V ble drum elementhaving circumferentially spaced adjustable projections influential inselectively swinging said end stops into and out of action, and meansgoverned by the measuring chain of the machine for rotating the drumelement.

7. The combination in a flat knitting ma chine embodying a multiplicityof sliding yarn carrier rods, and narrowing mechanism comprising a screwoperated nut fitted with a series of independently pivoted end stops forthe yarn carrier rods; of control mecha- Y nism for the, end stopsincluding a drum 'J5 element rotatably supported by the nut aforesaidand having circumferentially spaced adjustable projections influentialin selectively swinging the end stops into and out of action, and meansfor rotating the drum element. 133 8. The combination in a fiat knittingmai i `chine embodying a measuring chain, a nultiplicity `of slidingyarn carrier rods, and narrowing mechanism comprising a screw op--erated nut fitted with a series of independ- P35 ently pivoted end'stops for the yarn carrier rods; of control mechanism for the end stopsincluding a drum element rotatably mounted on the nut and havingcircumferentially spaced adjustable projections influential inselectively swinging said end stops into and out of action, and meansgoverned vby the measuring chain of thmnachine for rotating the drumelement. 9. The combination in al flat knitting ma- H5 chine 7embodying-a multiplicity of sliding yarn carrier rods, and narrowingmechanism rcomprising a screw operated nut fitted with t a ,series of independentlypivoted end stops f cam shaft with av rotary cam thereon foi' actuatinga pawl to pick the ratchet lWheel.

10.v The combination in a flat knittmg machine embodying'- a measuringchain, a multiplicity of sliding yarn carrier rods, andvnarrowingmechanism comprising a screw operated nut fitted with a series ofindependently pivoted end stopsi for the yarn carrier i rods; ofmechanism to control the yarn carrier end stops including a drum elementrotatably mounted on the nut aforesaid and having circumferentiallyspaced adjustable projections influential inI selectively swinglng theyarn carrier rod end stops into and out of action, a gear wheel on thedrum element inr mesh with a gear slidable on a positionally'fixed shaftextending parallel to the screw for the nut aforesaid, a ratchet wheelAIon the shaft, an auxiliary cam shaft with a rotary cam thereon foractuating a pawl tof pick` the ratchet wheel; and means governed by themeasuring chain of the machine to impart intermittent rotary movement-tothe auxiliary shaft. Y

11. The combination in a flat knitting machine embodying a measuringchain, a multiplicity of sliding yarn /carrier rods, and narrowingmechanism comprising a screw operated nut fitted with a series ofindependently pivoted end stops for the yarn* carrier rods; of mechanismto control the yarn Carrier end stops including a drum element rotatablymounted on the nut and having circumferentially spaced/adjustableprojections iniuential in selectively swinging the.

yarn carrier rod end stopsfnto and out of action, a gear wheel on thedrum element in mesh with a gear slidable on a positionally fixed shaftextending parallel to the screw for the nut aforesaid, a ratchet Wheelon the Y shaft, an auxiliary cam shaft with a rotary A cam thereon foractuating a pawl to pick the l En ratchet wheel, a ratchet wheel on saidauxiliary shaft, another pawl constantly vibrated through an eccentric.connection with the main cam shaft of the machine, a pawl guard tocontrol the action of the last mentioned pawl, and interposed meanswhereby said pawl guard is governed from the measuring chain. y

In testimony: whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia,Pennsylvani,"this 26th day of December, 1929.

- HAROLD'F. PAGET.

